USSR: no antitank rifles before August 1941?
Posted: Fri Jul 16, 2021 3:21 pm
The simple and cost effective Degtyarov design PTRD was a single shot rifle 2,0m long and weighting 17,3kg, the Simonov design PTRS was selfloading and had a 5 round magazine loaded by a 5 round cartridge clip. The rifle was 2,1m long and weighed 20,9kg. It could be broken down in two separate loads by simply knocking out a square cross wedge at the receiver. Both rifles were considered usefull and were adopted both to service in Fall, 1941
I had not read that before. Sounds like the situation of the French infantry in 1940 -- no easily ported antitank weapon other than grenades and mines.
Quote is from http://russianammo.org/Russian_Ammuniti ... 145mm.html
I had assumed the Soviets had the PTRD and PTRS at the very start of the Russo-German war.
Cheers